New Ulm weekly review., 1887-09-21
TIE WIDOWS' ADONIS.

q Fitzgerald Brandon was one of the
lucky mortals treated with material
partiality by that tickle jade, fortune.
No stepdame frowns fell to his share,
no chilling glances, no rebuffs. Every
thing went we'll with him.
Did he speculate mprudently, the
speculation, however unpromising
was certain to do we'll; did he back a
rank outsider for great race, it was
almost certain OF a place. Fortune
always befriended him. He generally
rose winner from his post-prandial
rubber. not because his skill was ex-
traordinary, but from sheer force Of
duck; and it was on record that on
'one occasion be broke the bank at
Monte Carlo.
He was, besides, extremely hand
some, though on a liliputian scale; for
Fitzgerald Brandon was not only one
of the luckiest but also one of the
smallest Of men. He stood just
five feet five in his boots,
but his neat little figure, al
ways dressed in the most perfect. fit
ting chefa-d' oeuvre Of Smalpage or
Poole, was SO erect, SO dapper and so
well proportioned, that any short
rcomings OF stature were readily for
given and forgotten by his numerous
admirers Of the fair sex. For, what
ever the lady novelists may say, wom-
sen are not SO utterly devoted to those
lords of herculean built and super
human physical strength who invari.
ably figure in the pages OF fashionable
fiction.
Little Fitz was, in his way, quite a
lady killer, and as he was we'll known
to be rich as we'll as a lucky man,
his lines generally fell in pleasant
places. His position in society was
assured, and many a fair demoiselle
moving in the very best circles would
have been willing enough to share his
fortunes. .rG@.l.l IL.
But little Fitz seemed reluctant to
don the matrimonial fetters; he es-
chewed the society of the demoiselle a
fmarier. preferrine the maturer charms
OF ladies who already wore the mar
riage ring and yet could enjoy firta-
'tion without fear of scandal .55}
In short, little Fitz was a. devoted
admirer OF that privileged class, young
and pretty widows.
Perhaps he fondly imagined he was
'less likely to be t'caught" by these
'bereaved sirens than by young debu-
'tantes still under the maternal wing.
At all events. he was nearly always
to be seen, with one or other of these
fair ladies. who having doffed their
weeds, and bloomed out again in all
their pristine brilliancy.
And that is how he won the soubri-
>quet by which he was known in every
club IN London OF ''The Widows
Adonis."
"Just look at the fellow? How any
woman can take up with such a con
'ceited little coxcomb can It imagine"
said Maitland, of the Fiftieth dra.
goons-a "heavy" dragoon in more
sense than one, for he rode fourteen
stone and was more remarked for his
fbreadth OF shoulders than quickness
~Qt wit-to his fidus Achates one morn
ing in the row.
There's no accounting for tastes"
bmuttered the other, pulling his mus
'tache and darting enVious glances at
aittle Fitz, who was seated between
'two Of the prettiest young widows in
tIondon and seemed nightly to relish
the position. II should have thought
q charming womanlike Mrs. Desmond
- He did not finish the sentence,
but glared fercely atthe dapper figure
of little Fitz, who was laughing and
chatting gaily to his fair companions.
iftooks could kill, what wholesale
slaughter would 60 on in this highly
civilized metropolis Of ours.
Jack Carnforth, TIE impecunious off
shoot of an ancient family tree, would
have given good deal to secure pref
Gty Mrs. Desmond and her fortune,
Whicn was said to be considerable. At
one time she had accepted his homage
with apparent pleasure, but since
EFitzgerald Brandon had crossed her
path. she had turned a deaf ear to the
Apenniless young attaches pretty
speeches. Poor Carnforth, in spite Of
mis- good looks, felt that he was hope
less out OF the running, for, though
Brandon might be, as Maitland said,
"a conceited little coxcombe," it was
impossible to deny that he possessed
the art OF making himself agreeable.
The two ladies, between whom this
miniature Paris was seated. were as
tantagonistic to each other as Matt
Hand and Carnforth were to the object
,of their rivalry; for the two pretty
widows were rivals and hated each
other cordially, though they called
each other ''dear Minna" and "dear
Clementina, and before the eyes of
the world posed as great friends and
allies
En- appearance, the two ladies con
rtrasted we'll, and each hattered her